25 April - Rollers and reports of Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Richards Pipit

Black Stork, Tsiknias River, 25 April 2013 

(Ciconia nigra) Μαύρος Πελαργός 

© Steve Dudley

Sorry about the update disappearing. It loaded last night but for some reason it was thrown out during the day!

No news on the White-throated Robins today, but Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (13 previous records) and Richard's Pipit (no records). Two Booted Eagles and a Black Kite also see, along with more Rollers.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

No news today

Skala Kallonis

BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER

1 reported near the Imerti Hotel this morning.

Tsiknias River

RICHARD'S PIPIT

1 reported on track to Lotzaria/Saltpans this morning.

Ferruginous Duck pr between river mouth and ford

Roller 1

Mediterranean Gull 4

Squacco Heron 2

Perasma Reservoir

Booted Eagle 1

Eleanora's Falcon 2

Red-footed Falcon 2

Bee-eater 35

Ipsilou

Booted Eagle 1

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Pallid Harrier 2CY x2

Montagu's Harrier male

Whiskered Tern 17

White-winged Black Tern 1

Gull-billed Tern 13

Purple Heron 3

Squacco Heron 9

Temminck's Stint 4

Curlew Sandpiper 29

Eurasian Curlew 1

Oystercatcher 1 

Ruff 479

Wood Sandpiper 161

Little Stint 16

Zitting Cisticola

Red-throated Pipit 16

Short-toed Lark 16

Tawny Pipit 4

Meladia

Roller 3

Citrine Wagtail female

Tawny Pipit 2

Squacco Heron 3

Night-heron 1

Sigri Old Sanotorium

Roller 1

Golden Oriole 3

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1

Collared Flycatcher 2

Petri

Black Kite 1

Scops Owl 1

Faneromeni beach

Temminck's Stint 2

Polichnitos Saltpans

Black-headed Bunting 2

Marsh Sandpiper

Red-footed Falcon 1

Kalami Marsh

Spoonbill 1

Alikoudi Pool

Black-headed Bunting 2

Skamioudi

Ortolan Bunting 1

Platania

Masked Shrike 6

Black-headed Bunting 1

Olive-tree Roller 1

Skala Kallonis Pool

Little Bittern 1

Squacco Heron 9

Platania

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Red-footed Falcon 3

Hobby 1

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 7

Little Bittern 4

Little Crake 4

Lardia Valley

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 

Potamia Valley

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Black-headed Bunting 1

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl adult at nest with 3 young (same site as 2012) - one young has fallen from the nest, please do not approach it

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Collared Flycatcher 1

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

12 May 2012

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Kalloni Saltpans © Steve Dudley

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater! What a stunner. Seen by quite a few birds. Fewer things reported as many British birders left today (best part of two planes) and far fewer birders arriving for this week.

Weather - Bright with scatter cloud and afternoon showers. Light NE breeze. 28C. 

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

The young have fledged! Good luck finding the family in coming days. There are two other pairs in this area for you to find too!

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER - a single bird with Bee-eaters at the pumping station in SW corner of pans 1730-1910h. All the bee-eaters went to roost between the pans and Tsiknias River and I suggest looking around the pumping station and the area to the NW of here tomorrow

Gull-billed Tern 17

White-winged Tern 16

Whiskered Tern 2

Ruddy Shelduck 4

Squacco Heron 1

Great White Egret 2

Little Egret 17

Grey Heron 5

Temminck's Stint 1

White Stork 1

Black Stork 2

Greenshank 1

Ruff 110+

Little Stint 65+

Ringed Plover 13

Tsiknias River

Spotted Crake 1 just north of upper ford where single wire crosses river viewed from west side

Little Bittern 2

Red-throated Pipit 1

Quail 1 (seen!)

Bee-eater 20+

Short-toed Lark

Christou River

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Skala Kallonis

Mediterranean Gull 2 adults in harbour

Little Bittern 1 on pool

Whiskered Tern 1 on pool

Platania

Red-footed Falcon 1

Kavaki

Marsh Warbler 1

Ruppell's Warbler, etc

Skala Eresou

Night-heron 1

Sigri / Faneromeni

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 near irrigation wheels before the beach road turn

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Meladia Valley

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Lesser Kestrel

Papiana

Scops Owl 2 - in same eucalyptus tree by black gates on other side of road from the school (up towards the green and blue waste bins). look for the cut off trunk in the middle of the tree- one bird immediately below the cur off trunk when viewed from the black gates and another bird above when viewed from other side of road

Long-eared Owl - adult by nest with 2 chicks in largest eucalyptus tree by field with the black horse (on school side of road)
Eleonora's Falcon 2 over

NOTE - this is a residential area. Please park with care, respect the privacy of local residents and beware traffic on the road - one birders was knocked over here last week!

22 April 2012

Log book now in Dionysos taverna, Skala Kalloni - please make good use of it!

Blues skies, light southerly breeze, 23C

Faneromeni Lower Ford

BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER - at 1500h

Kalloni Saltpans inc. seasonal floods opp saltworks entrance

BAILLON'S CRAKE - 1 along water channel just north of the pumping station (SW corner) off the eastern access road

Little Crake - 1

Glossy Ibis - 6

Marsh Sandpiper - 2

Curlew Sandpiper - 8

Black-tailed Godwit - 1

Common Snipe - 1

Greenshank, Little Stint, Great White Egret, Squacco Heron

Dipi Larisos
Pygmy Cormorant - still at least 1
Sanderling - 1

Metochi Lake

Penduline Tit - 1

Little Crake - 3

Little Bittern - 3

Tsiknias River

Citrine Wagtail - male at main ford at 1000h

Penduline Tit - 1 at main ford early morning

Black Stork - 1

Glossy Ibis - 14

Stone-curlew

Oystercatcher - 1 at river mouth at 1900h

Black-becked Grebe - 1 off river mouth

Greenshank - 8

Aghias Taxiarchis

Eleonora's Falcon - 1

Goshawk - 2

Ipsilou

Collared Flycatcher - 2

Masked Shrike 

plus usual Cinereous Bunting, Rock Sparrow, Chukar, etc

Alpine Swift (nr Ipsilou)

Christou River

Collared Flycatcher - 1

Potamia Valley

Short-toed Eagle - 4

Long-leeged Buzzard - 5

Goshawk - 1

Little Bittern - 1

Woodchat, Hoopoe, Turtle Dove

Alykes Wetlands

Gull-billed Tern - 1

Skylark - 1

Short-toed Lark - 20

Soumouria Scops Copse

Scops Owl - 1 - enter from the Kalloni end entrance and the bird is in the third eucalyptus on the right in fork of tree c7-8m up

Achladeri

Kruper's Nuthatch very diffcult today - not calling very often making locating them very hard. Only seen 3-4 times in eight hours.
Collared Flycatcher - 1

Short-toed Treecreeper 

Long-legged Buzzard

Perasma Reservoir
Common Pochard - 1

'Petra area'

Ruppell's Warbler - 3

Ortolan Bunting - 1

Collared Flycatcher - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 3

Agios Fokas
Collared Flyccatcher - 1
Sardinian Warbler - 12+
Grey Plover - 1 at River Almyropotamos River mouth (Vatera)

Also reports of Semi-collared Flycatcher and Eastern Bonelli's Warbler out west today but no further details.

21 - 22 May 2010 - lots more Rosy Starlings

Rose-coloured Starling - c.350+ around Tsiknias River Ford on 22nd! (Paul Manning)

Common Crossbills - seen around Panaghia Amalia (mountain area south of Mytilini) on 21st (Paul Manning).

Little Crake - still at least 2 at Metochi Lake.

Paul also mentions reports of another Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (third report this spring - anyone going to claim any of them?) and the near annual claim of Caspian Plover (no further details re. either of these).

Your Lesvos bird records for 2008

Nikos Probonas (Hellenic Rarities Committee) and I would like to encourage all those who visited Lesvos this year to report their more important bird records, including –

Greek national rarities
Scarce passage and breeding migrants
Out of range (for the island) breeding/territory records
Any confirmed breeding records (all species)

Greek national rarities
The Hellenic Rarities Committee have asked me to request on their behalf, descriptions of Greek national rarities reported from Lesvos this spring. All sightings of the following species (known to be reported this spring) -

Cattle Egret
Imperial Eagle
Black-winged Pratincole
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (lots of them!)
Scarlet (Common) Rosefinch

Plus any other species listed by HRC in their previous reports (see here).

Please report your records to HRC here.

Scarce passage and breeding migrants
In addition, I am collating records of scarcer migrants. Please supply details of the following species in particular (also any species down as scarce passage migrant (sPM) or scarce migrant breeder (sMB) on the list here) –

Great Bittern
Little Bittern
Night-heron
Purple Heron
Glossy Ibis
Black Kite
All vultures
All eagles apart from Short-toed Eagle (Imperial Eagle records to HRC as above)
Pallid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Hen Harrier
Levant Sparrowhawk
Honey-buzzard
Lanner
Eleanora's Falcon
All crakes
Collared Pratincole
Spur-winged Plover
Great Snipe
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Roller
Wryneck
Citrine Wagtail
Rufous Bush Chat
Thrush Nightingale
(Rufous-tailed) Rock Thrush
River Warbler
Savi’s Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Olive Tree Warbler (away from known breeding sites)
Barred Warbler
Sardinian Warbler
Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler (away from known breeding sites)
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Semi-collared Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Penduline Tit
Lesser Grey Shrike

Please submit these records (species, number, date, location, observer, notes) either direct to me at (steve at toadsnatcher dot com) or via OrnithoTopos.

Out of range breeding/territory records (e.g. Cinereous Bunting) or confirmed breeding records (e.g. feeding young, fledged young, etc) of any species, can be submitted via OrnithoTopos or sent to me direct at (steve at toadsnatcher dot com) .

Many thanks in advance.

22 May 08 - Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Anaxos - BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 1 (same as the Petri bird on 20th ?).

Thanks to Duncan Walbridge.

Reporting your sightings
I left the island last week and it would be great to keep the records coming in and keep these daily summaries as complete and as interesting as possible. Please send me your records direct to -
Email steve at toadsnatcher dot com
Text 00447767787287

Reporting nationally rare birds seen on Lesvos

Like BBRC in Britain, Greece has the Hellenic Rarities Committee. Records of all nationally rare species need to be submitted to the HRC. From this years bag full of goodies, this includes all records of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Great Snipe, Cattle Egret, Steppe Eagle, Scarlet (Common) Rosefinch, etc. See here for further information.

20 May 08 - another Blue-cheeked Bee-eater!

Petri - BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 1.

Kalloni 'bandstand' raptor watchpoint - LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1, Eleanora's Falcon 12.

Parakila Marsh - CITRINE WAGTAIL 1 male, Rose-coloured Starling 30+

Tsiknias River - Rose-coloured Starling 100+.

Kalloni Saltpans - White Stork 10, Whiskered Tern 1.

Thanks to Duncan Walbridge.

Reporting your sightings
I left the island last week and it would be great to keep the records coming in and keep these daily summaries as complete and as interesting as possible. Please send me your records direct to -
Email steve at toadsnatcher dot com
Text 00447767787287

Reporting nationally rare birds seen on Lesvos

Like BBRC in Britain, Greece has the Hellenic Rarities Committee. Records of all nationally rare species need to be submitted to the HRC. From this years bag full of goodies, this includes all records of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Great Snipe, Cattle Egret, Steppe Eagle, Scarlet (Common) Rosefinch, etc. See here for further information.

12 May 08 - another Blue-cheeked Bee-eater!

Duncan Walbridge has texted to say there is a BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER, for its second day, between the Tsiknias River and the Kalloni Saltpans.

Tsiknias River - River Warbler 1 (lower), Rufous Bush Chat 1 (upper).

Kalloni Saltpans - Gull-billed Tern 7.

Meladia River Ford - Little Bittern 1, Ruddy Shelduck pr with 5 young.

Platania - Eleanora's Falcon 2.

Thanks to Duncan Walbridge and those entering their records in the Hotel Pasiphae bird log, and to Hotel Pasiphae for forwarding me the records each evening.

Reporting your sightings

I left the island last week and it would be great to keep the records coming in and keep these daily summaries as complete and as interesting as possible. Please send me your records direct to -
Email steve at toadsnatcher dot com
Text 00447767787287

Reporting nationally rare birds seen on Lesvos

Like BBRC in Britain, Greece has the Hellenic Rarities Committee. Records of all nationally rare species need to be submitted to the HRC. From this years bag full of goodies, this includes all records of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Great Snipe, Cattle Egret, Steppe Eagle, Scarlet (Common) Rosefinch, etc. See the HRC website if you think you have seen a nationally rare species requiring a description. A rarity description form can also be download from the site.

5 May 08 - Another big bird day

Overnight rain and an overcast morning had most of the birders scampering west this morning. And we weren't disappointed!

Weather: overnight rain gave way to a short-lived overcast morning but fine and sunny by mid-morning with scattered cloud. Moderate north-westerly wind. Max temp. c. 25 C.

Ipsilou - GRIFFON VULTURE 1 mid-morning (8th island record and first since 2002), IMPERIAL EAGLE over mid-afternoon (see Andissa below), Collared Flycatcher 4, Red-breasted Flycatcher 2, Thrush Nightingale 3, Icterine Warbler 2, Honey-buzzard 1, Marsh Warbler 6+, plus loads of common migrants inc. Red-backed Shrikes, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroas, etc.

Polichnitos Saltpans - BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 1.

Nr Andissa - IMPERIAL EAGLE being mobbed by 3 Long-legged Buzzards mid-morning.

Meladia River Ford area - PALLID SWIFT 110+, Collared Flycatcher 1, Red-breasted Flycatcher 2, Olive Tree Warbler 1, Thrush Nightingale 1, Citrine Wagtail 2, Tawny Pipit 2, Ortolan Bunting 1, Little Bittern 1, Red-backed Shrike 30+, Lesser Grey Shrike 3.

Faneromeni area - CITRINE WAGTAIL 1, ROLLER 2, Eleanora's Falcon 1.

Skala Eresou - CITRINE WAGTAIL 1, Eleanora's Falcon 1 pale bird, Garganey 5 on sea, Squacco Heron 2.

Between Efthalou & Skala Sikaminias - LANNER1, Audouin's Gull 4.

Nr Sikaminia - LEVANT SPARROWHAWK 1 (fem).

Sigri Old Sanitorium - Rufous Bush Chat 2.

Lardia Valley – Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 1, holding territory at eastern end. West of Vatousa park at eastern end of valley in ‘chalky’ coloured pull-in on right with small wooden gate. Walk west for three telegraph poles to small pool. Bird is in this area but can get to opposite side of valley. Rock Sparrow nesting in Rock Nuthatch nest on rocky outcrop on right from the pull-in.

Kalloni Mini Soccer – Scops Owl 1 - bird still in the fifth roadside tree from the mini soccer pitch entrance but can only be seen from along the road or safer(!) from the track opposite the soccer pitch entrance. It is c.7m up the tree and quote difficult to see.

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch still showing well.

Mesotopos - no sign of yesterday's two Olive Tree Warblers just south of the Eko garage.

Thanks to everyone for their records and for those who enter their records in the Hotel Pasiphae bird log.

Printed copies of the daily Lesvosbirding.com summaries are also on reception at the Hotel Pasiphae by the bird log. Please do not remove them. Thanks.

3 May 08 - More Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters!

Ruddy Shelduck with 9 (of 10) young on Voulgaris River

An amazing continuation of Blue-cheeked Bee-eater records and the second Imperial Eagle of the spring.

Weather: fine and sunny with strengthening northerly wind during afternoon. Max. temp c.28 C.
Today’s highlights -

Ipsilou – IMPERIAL EAGLE 1 sub-adult over to north in morning.

Kalloni Bandstand – BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 1 to west at 10.20am, Goshawk 1.

Meladia River Ford – BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 7 – single flock north at 6.45 pm. Large movement of hirundines through and European Bee-eaters 60+ all to north. Rufous Bush Chat 1 (m), Collared Flycatcher 1 (f at chapel), Icterine Warbler 1, Marsh Warbler 1, Great Reed Warbler 2, Red-backed Shrike 25+, Lesser Grey Shrike 2, Masked Shrike 1, Hoopoe 1, Golden Oriole 1, Red-footed Falcon 2 (m&f), Lesser Kestrel 1, Black-headed Bunting 40+, Spotted Flycatcher 80+, Little Bittern 1.

Acient Antissa – LEVANT SPARROWHAWK 1 (m).

Nr Ipsilou – LEVANT SPARROWHAWK 1 (f), Red-footed Falcon 1 (f).

Tsiknias River – CITRINE WAGTAIL 1.

Nr Mesotopos – OLIVE TREE WARBLER 2, Golden Oriole.

Lardia Valley – Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 1 singing at eastern end. West of Vatousa park in eastern end of valley in ‘chalky’ coloured pull-in on right with small wooden gate. Walk west for three telegraph poles to small pool. Bird in this area but can get to opposite side of valley. Rock Sparrow nesting in Rock Nuthatch nest on rocky outcrop on right from the pull-in. Eleanora’s Falcon 1 pale bird.

Faneromeni River – Little Bittern 1.

Sigri – Eleanora’s Falcon 1, Lesser Kestrel 25+, 1 Stone-curlew.

Kalloni Mini Soccer – Scops Owl 1 - bird still in the fifth roadside tree from the mini soccer pitch entrance but can only be seen from along the road or safer(!) from the track opposite the soccer pitch entrance. It is c.7m up the tree and quote difficult to see. Honey-buzzard 1.

Nr Sigri/Eresos junction – Great Spotted Cuckoo.

Kalloni Saltpans – White-winged Black Tern 67, Whiskered Tern 15, Little Stint 50+, Ruff 80+.

Polichnitos Saltpans - Temminck's Stint 1, Turnstone 3, Tawny Pipit 2, Red-footed Falcon 2, Black Stork 2.

Panagia – Little Bittern 1.

Skala Kallonis Pool – Little Bittern 1, White Stork 1, Squacco Heron 3.

Voulgaris River – Ruddy Shelduck pr with 10 young.

Pasiphae Hotel grounds – Long-eared Owl 2.

Thanks to everyone for their records and for those who enter theirs in the Hotel Pasiphae bird log.

2 May 08 - A right bonny day

Continued fine weather had all the hallmarks of bird going straight through, but today saw a reasonable fresh arrival of migrants across the island. Very little surface water remaining in the seasonal pools of the Alykes Wetlands and Saltpans area (opp. the Saltworks entrance).

Weather: fine and sunny with virtually no wind. Max. temp c. 28 C.

Yesterday, unconfirmed report of the fifth BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER of the spring at Sigri.

Today’s highlights -

Platania – BONELLI’S EAGLE 1 (sub-ad), OLIVE TREE WARBLER 1 still.

Kalloni Bandstand – LEVANT SPARROWHAWK 1 (f), Honey-buzzard 1, Goshawk 1 (m), Black Stork 1.

Metochi Lake – BAILLON’S CRAKE 1, Little Crake 4, Little Bittern 4, Squacco Heron 7, Purple Heron 1, Whiskered Tern 3. No sign of the Spotted Crake.

Kalloni Saltpans area - SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1, Gull-billed Tern 1, Red-footed Falcon 3, Collared Pratincole 5, Red-throated Pipit 3, Short-toed Lark 4, Ruddy Shelduck 16, Black Stork 1, Whiskered Tern 2, White-winged Black Tern 7.

Lardia Valley – Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1 singing at eastern end below the Crag Martin outcrop.

Faneromeni area – Red-breasted Flycatcher 1, Collared Flycatcher 1.

Meladia River Ford – River Warbler 1, Collared Flycatcher 1.

Napi Valley – Thrush Nightingale 1.

Skala Kallonis – Honey-buzzard 1 over Hotel Pasiphae c.8.45 am.

Achladeri – Kruper’s Nuthatch showing well.

Kalloni Mini Soccer – Scops Owl 1 - bird still in the fifth roadside tree from the mini soccer pitch entrance but can only be seen from along the road or safer(!) from the track opposite the soccer pitch entrance. It is c.7m up the tree and quote difficult to see.

Petra Reservoir area – reservoir now drained with only a puddle of a pool remaining. River Warbler 1 (nr main road), Temminck’s Stint 4, Red-backed Shrike 6+, Bee-eater 40+.

Molivos – River Warbler 1.

Tsiknias River – Temminck’s Stint 3.

Skala Kallonis - Long-eared Owl 2 at Hotel Pasiphae.

Thanks to everyone for their records and for those who enter their records in the Hotel Pasiphae bird log.

30 April 08 - Eagles and Blue-cheeked Bees

Spur-winged Plover, nr Kalloni Saltworks entrance.

Despite fine weather and clear skies, the southerly winds keep bring stuff in. Two Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters today make it four this year (only four records before this year!) following ones at Tsiknias River and Meladia River Ford last week.

Apart from one report the other day, still no sign of Rufous Scrub Robin on any of the usual territories which are being checked daily.

Weather: fine and sunny with scattered high cloud and light southerly winds. Max. temp c.27 C.

Today’s highlights -

Skala Kalloni Pool – BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 1 07.30-07.45 am, FERRUGINOUS DUCK 1 (f).

Vatera - BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 1 east of town near ‘large hotel’. Large movement of Alpine and Common Swifts in Vatera area during the afternoon.

Kalloni Bandstand – IMPERIAL EAGLE 1 over c. 12 noon (ninth record). Raptor watching from c.09.30 – 10.00 am – Montagu’s Harrier 1 (m), Goshawk 1 (f), Short-toed Eagle 6+, Long-legged Buzzard 4+, Common Buzzard 2, Peregrine 1, Common Sparrowhawk 1.

Anciant Antissa – GOLDEN EAGLE 1, LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1.

Kalloni Saltworks entrance (pool and fields opp) - SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1, Red-footed Falcon 4, Collared Pratincole 14, Red-throated Pipit 4, Short-toed Lark 3, Ruddy Shelduck 3, Black Stork 1.

Platania – LEVANT SPARROWHAWK 1 (m), OLIVE TREE WARBLER 1 still, Bee-eaters lots moving over, many heard and not seen but flocks of 4, 11, 13 and 18 seen’ large movement of Alpine and Common Swifts.

Kalloni Saltpans – CASPIAN TERN 1, PALLID HARRIER 1 first-year, White-winged Black Tern 21, Whiskered Tern 2, Mediterranean Gull 4, Curlew Sandpiper 70+, Grey Plover 24, Squacco Heron 1, Stone-curlew 2, Grey Heron 11, Little Stone 230+, Ruff 80+.

Metochi Lake – BAILLON’S CRAKE 2, Spotted Crake 1, Little Crake 7.

Achladeri – Kruper’s Nuthatch and Long-eared Owls showing well.

Faneromeni area – Marsh Warbler 1, Little Bittern 1, Squacco Heron 1.

Meladia River Ford – Marsh Warbler 1, Collared Flycatcher 2 (m&f), Little Bittern 2, Barred Warbler 1.

Tsiknias River – Eleanora’s Falcon 1, Gull-billed Tern 27+, White-winged Black Tern 2, Whiskered Tern 1, Bar-tailed Godwit 1 (this is a very long-billed female and almost certainly accounts for all recent reports of Black-tailed Godwit), Curlew 1, Great Crested Grebe.

Kalloni Mini Soccer – Scops Owl 1. Bird still in the fifth roadside tree from the mini soccer pitch entrance but can only be seen from along the road or safer(!) from the track opposite the soccer pitch entrance. It is c.7m up the tree and quote difficult to see.

Napi Valley – (just north of Napi 12.15 – 13.15 pm) Red-footed Falcon 1 (m), Goshawk 1 (m).

Vourkou River Mouth – Little Bittern 1.

Skamnioudi Coast Pool – Temminck’s Stint 2.

Thanks to everyone for their records and for those who enter theirs in the Hotel Pasiphae bird log.

23 April 08 - another Blue-cheeked Bee-eater!

Little Bittern by Tsiknias River Ford

Weather: sunney with thin cloud and light southerly breeze. Max temp. 23 C.

More signs of things improving with Black-headed Buntings reported widely from around the Kalloni area, more Whinchat, etc.

Please check previous days for late additions.

Today's highlights -

Meladia River Ford - BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER 1.

Sigri - CITRINE WAGTAIL 1 (fem).

Kalloni Saltpans - Slender-billed Gull 3, Collared Praticole 14, Black Tern 1, Marsh Sandpiper 2, Spotted Redshank 2, Curlew Sandpiper 5+, Greenshank 12, Ruff 390+, Curlew 2, Black Stork 3, Ruddy Shelduck 6, GreaterFlamingo 223, Great White Egret 1.

Alykes Wetlands (Saltpan Sheepfields) - Red-throated Pipit 3, Short-toed Lark 12, Common Snipe 1.

Metochi Lake - Little Crake 2, Black Stork 1, Bee-eater 2, Short-toed Eagle 2, Long-legged Buzzard 2.

Tsiknias River - Little Bittern 1, Black-headed Bunting 5+, Mediterranean Gull 19, Ortolan Bunting 1, Temmick's Stint 2, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Masked Shrike 1, Long-legged Buzzard 1 (hunting all day from same telegraph pole as same week last year), Stone-curlew 3.

North Coast - Eleanora's Falcon 2, Audouin's Gull 3.

Christou River - Red-throated Pipit 1, Great White Egret 1.

19 April 08 - Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Weather: thick, black clouds over the higher areas gave way to a sunny, hot day by late morning.
The big news today was the fifth Lesvos record of BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER found at dusk between Skala Kallonis and the Tsiknias River at dusk by Sunbird group led by Ian Lewington and Killian Mullarney.

I started with my Athene/Hotel Pasiphae group at Metochi Lake, but things very slow with only a single Little Crake and flu-over Ruddy Shelduck (2) and Black Stork.

We decided to grill the 'Scops Copse' north of Kalloni by the mini soccer pitch. We weren't alone, but it took an inquisitive local to find us a Scops Owl! He said he didn't know it was there and it was luck. Yes, lucky for us, cos this bird so well hidden, and the tree it is in makes it nine trees I've seen birds using in this copse over the years.

Scops Owl at the Kalloni Mini Soccer Pitch

We then spent an hour at the Kalloni Bandstand waiting for the clouds to lift from the hills. It wasn't a wasted hour with several Short-toed Eagles (inc a displaying pair), Lesser Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Goshawk and several flocks of migrating Spanish Sparrows plus plenty of more expected stuff like Orphean Warbler, buntings, Rock Nuthatch, etc.

We headed north to the Ruppell's Warbler site near Petra where we found 3-4 Ruppell's Warblers singing and chasing one another around the scrubby slopes. Plenty of local breeders and masses of small flocks (totalling several hundred) of Spanish Sparrows moving through.

The north coast track to Skala Sikaminias was very, very quiet apart from a flock of eight fly-over Bee-eaters and plenty of Turtle Doves.
Singing male Subalpine Warbler, north coast track

With time pressing we heading south to the Kalloni Saltpans and headed for the works entrance area. The seasonal pool opposite the entrance is not that high (no where near as much water here than as in 2005). The pools was disappointing with no unusual waders or terns. A ring-tail Montagu's Harrier was quartering the fields, a Quail was calling and up to five Red-throated Pipits fed in the shorter grassyareas.

One the Saltpans held some waders including a Sanderling, 3 Curlew Sands, Little Stints and a couple of Stone-curlew.

The only other bird of noted reported to me today is a Citrine Wagtail at the ford on River Tsiknias.

11-17 April 08 - bird news

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, 14 April 2008, near the River Tsiknias © Bill Baston/http://www.billbaston.com/

We arrived on the island yesterday and Shena & John Maskell were already at our hotel and birding here since the 11th. Here are some of there highlights.

17 April
2 Masked Shrike - Sigri to Eressos track

16 April
1 Whiskered Tern, Ruff, 8 Marsh Sandpiper, 4 Red-throated Pipit - Kalloni Saltpans
Kruper's Nuthatch, Scops Owl calling - Achladeri

15 April
39 Purple Herons - Skala Kallonis Pool
2 Ruppell's Warbler - nr Petra

14 April

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - nr mouth of Tsiknias River (photo above)
Little Crake, Turtle Dove - Parakila Marsh
Cinereous Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Orphean Warbler - Agios Ioannis
2 Lesser Kestrel, 1 Long-legged Buzzard - Apothika to Makara

13 April
1 Green Sandpiper - River Christou
Purple Heron, Crag Martin, Long-legged Buzzard - Potamia

12 April
3 Squacco Heron , 2 Glossy Ibis - Skala Kallonis Pool
Hoopoe, Collared Fly - Upper River Tsiknias
9 Garganey, 30 Ruddy Shelduck, 130 Avocet, 16 Black-winged Stilt - Kalloni Saltpans

11 April
Little Bittern - Tsiknias River